Health minister Ahmadou Samateh last night revealed that a man who tested positive for Coronavirus has died in The Gambia.
In a statement delivered on the national television, Minister Samateh explained: “Since diagnosis of the first case, nine suspected cases have undergone testing and one has tested positive today [Sunday]. This is the second confirmed case in The Gambia.
He is a 70-year-old Bangladeshi man who came to The Gambia from Senegal on 13thMarch as a preacher. He was resident at the Marakass Centre in Bundung where he engaged in preaching and interacted with a number of people. [He visited] six other countries where he was carrying similar preaching.
He was a known diabetic who presented at a health facility… He was later referred to the Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital and passed away in the ambulance before arrival on 20th March. A sample was taken from him and the results were delivered today [Sunday] which confirmed the positive test. Active contact tracing is already ongoing and we urge all people who interacted with the said person to call the toll-free number 1025 for further advice.
“The Foreign Ministry is already informed and the message will be extended to the other countries as well for contact tracing. The general public is urged to take caution because this is a disease that is highly contagious and we have all seen what is happening in other countries. The general public is strongly urged to adhere to advice and press release of the government.
“Furthermore the Ministry of Health wishes to inform the general public that there are currently 124 people on quarantine at various locations. Seventeen absconded from the quarantine centres posing a great risk to their families and the general public. These individuals are instructed to report back to the quarantine sites immediately. Failure to do so will lead to enforcement of the law which may include arresting them.”
